Moon's Corral
by c'estquatre
Summary: In a portion of the dead Amazon, four suitors engage in a battle royale to stop the fifth from obtaining a sapphire-wearing-tree. Each armed with a mystery that surpasses Humanity, let this blood-soaked, feverish dance under a full moon surrounded by a shattered sea of ice begin. Tsuki no Sango story. should really get a general Nasuverse category and allow ruby text.
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[ruby=Tsuki no Ori]The Moon's Corral[/ruby]

0.

The beginning First changed everything.

The following Second acknowledged much.

The resulting Third pointed out the future.

The connecting Fourth… I concealed my form.

And the final Fifth had already lost its meaning.

What about the Sixth? Well, since you asked so nicely, let me tell you about the Sixth.


	2. 1 The Second

1\. The Second

After tipping my hat to the cabin-crew, I jump out of the airplane. From approximating the oxygen level in the atmosphere, I guess I am slightly ten kilometers above sea level. No fear though, never fear. After all, just a few weeks ago, I had fallen from a much higher altitude and am still falling.

Barking a note when I am half-way done with my fall, I slow my descent as a canopy of brown envelopes me. Alone in every sense of the word, I land in what was once called South America.

"It's different."

The rotten tree trunk dirtying the ground snaps at the haphazard prodding of my cane.

The archives in my city portrayed the Amazon forest as a sea of green that stretches as far as eye can see – filled with exotic animals and colourful plants. However what the bright moon shines upon is only a dirt caked land. The spindly trees wave in the night-time wind. Their branches have brown leaves that are never accompanied by others. Yet, the trees are huddled close enough to create the darkness of a sinister forest. I can only declare it as a wasteland of death just like any other location in the world. I should correct myself on that.

Just like any other place on earth except that one island – the jewel of the world.

While leaving the island on my airplane, I had heard from my advisor that The Thirst was moving. Having grilled Madam Ise beforehand, I could only draw one conclusion.

"A tree that wears sapphires in such a repulsive place? How wholly ridiculous."

I say that, yet here I am.

I say that, yet four other suitors are here. Indeed, above the stench of haggard death imprinting this land, I can smell a deeper, darker death – my brethren.

Humanity has given up. Too difficult, they proclaimed. Too troublesome, they moaned. Leave civilization to those on the Moon. And like that, nine out of ten people lost all their passion, their love. As for the people on the Moon, one only has to look up at the sky. There are no more lights dotting the lunar surface anymore – just a shattered sky of ice encircling the planet. All that is left in this world is the Committee for Restoring Humanity and us.

Us.

The remnants of a small secret society, or perhaps you could say cult. Either way, we came to inherit the world. Obvious isn't it? In a world that stinks of death, the only thing fit to rule it are the dead, no?

Which is why I move. Which is why I run. Which is why for the first time in so long, I unleash everything that I have into a full sprint, breaking a multitude of dried trees just to enter a dead rainforest.

Because it is a dead rainforest. A live jaguar should not be in a dead rainforest. They went extinct many years ago.

* * *

I am no stranger to darkness as these eyes pierce through the night. If the prey is a mere beast, there is no way that I can't track him. Galloping over a fair amount of distance while breaking dried out branches and cracked roots of trees no longer tended by nature, I followed the jaguar's scent until it disappeared. Even if the scent of an animal disappears, there are others ways to track it.

After a few seconds, I nod to myself and make my way towards a clearing south of where I stopped. A small hole in the dead forest, I could only ask myself if it was man-made or natural. To be honest though, neither answer mattered much because what is at the clearing is not a jaguar but only a man with his glasses in one hand, drinking out of a small creek that bisects the clearing.

"You're the first one I've seen," After wiping his mouth with the sleeve of his flamboyantly stripped shirt, he put his glasses back on, "What do you make them call you now… Prince Arishima?"

I don't say a thing, because I know that he knows that I know.

"To think that one of us sixteen has finally found what she asks of him…"

And that is why the other four of us are here. To stop that person, but I can't help take a stab at him.

"How crass, drinking water of all things. It's not like you need th-."

"The sound called you here, didn't it?"

That it did. It was from hearing water being disturbed that I deduced the jaguar must have grown tired and wanted a drink.

"Perchance you saw a jagu-"

"Curious isn't it? That you followed a jaguar and I followed a bat."

"A ba-"

"Yes, the irony isn't lost on me either."

I have always hated how he keeps doing that. Whether it be some sort of magecraft or a special ability of his, the-glasses-fellow-over-there always interrupts someone, knowing exactly what they are about to say. I once vowed to one day get him back for that.

"Knowing you, you've deduced the order that we arriv-?"

"The Thirst, The Fird, The Phith, me, and you're the last, Arishima. The Thirst and The Phith are ahead - talking. I don't assume to know what that kid is doing."

Or what sort of name The Fird is, I want to add. No romance at all.

"So then Forth, I guess this is where I ask you to assist me? We're only here to seize The Thirst; there's no need for you and me to fight, is there? As gentlemen, we can even help each oth-"

Even his weasel-ly laugh cuts my sentence off.

"The only person who can win in this arena is The Thirst. At the same time, that means the only person who can lose here is The Thirst. If we defeat The Thirst or destroy the tree, he loses. He has nothing. But because we can't lose, we can't win," he pauses, "What are you supposed to retrieve?"

"F-"

"A fish from the Moon, yes, we all know. And I have to retrieve an airplane made of water. You can at least go to the Moon, what about me?"

"You can use magec-"

"Don't play the fool, Arishima. You know that magecraft isn't that strong anymore; after all, you broke multiple bones from your jump – and don't ask how I know. It makes you look idiotic."

It's true; the spell that should have slowed my descent to a crawl didn't work as intended. Even if the curse of restoration immediately activated, I still shattered bones in both my legs.

He continues, "I have seen what was and what is to come, and it is beautiful. This world was, will be, is beautiful. That is why I must stop the Thirst. That is why I must stop you. You understand, don't you? For the sake of the future. Everything that is meant to be, I must bring it to pass. Only I can bring it to pass.

"Humanity is dead. Humanity has stagnated. Humanity has given up. My advisors have been telling me this. The people I govern have been telling me this. However, the world that I see different. The world that I have always seen is different. It's not about progress, it's not about humanity, it's not even about us. It's about what is to come. The things that we can achieve, the things that must be achieved. And what is that future, you ask?" He smiles.

I open my mouth but-

"But you know Arishima, Arishima, A. Ri. Shi. Ma… I actually quite like that name! It suits a fop like you, Arishima. Yes, I couldn't stand your old name because it was stolen. Stolen from me!"

The speed of his pounce as he attempts to drive his claws into me throws his glasses off his face. He's terrifying, but then again, so am I. With a sweep of my cane, I attempt to push him back but-

-I spit out blood as the wounds revert.

Forcing himself out of an awkward stance, he uses my chest as a springboard before I can react. That would have shattered the spine of any normal person, as well as crushed most internal organs. I know because it did so to me. Either way, that isn't the problem, the problem is that-

-My arm snaps itself back into place.

Not relenting, he dashes back in to knee me. I take the blow with both hands. What I didn't block was the reinforced scarf that wraps around my face and hurls me through a sea of dead trees. The impact almost tears my arm off. But the problem is that-

-My heart restarts.

Punting me off the ground, he vaults into the air to purse me. Even with my entire body shattered, I brace myself, ready to grab and throw him away to give myself some breathing room. Yet, the moment I reached out, his whip of a scarf seals my wrist and throws me back into the ground, which isn't a problem, since the problem is-

"The problem is that you're too easy to read."

But neither of us has had any formal training.

"You're full of openings; even a trained child could beat you."

Yes, that might have been true if I were human, but at my level, I can even dodge a bullet that's already been fired. The same obviously applies to you as well. So then, if the two of us are about the same age and the same level, why am I the one being tossed around like refuse? Stop lying already, you clown-clothes wearing, fake-glasses character.

"And now you know why you lost, Arishima."

"So tha-"

"Yes, this is the fragment my Sister gave me. To see forth everything that was and will be, that is why I am called [ruby=Kaleidoscope]The Forth[/ruby]. You see Arishima, you can't win. You can't win because I've seen that you can't win. I've actually seen you lose. It's not pretty, by the way."

"So, that's how you kno-"

"What the world is going to be like? Of course."

"And for a reason lik-"

"But there is no better reason. I am not changing the world, the world is already changed. The world I see is beautiful. The future that I see is beautiful, so I have to protect it. You were going to say 'yes, that's actually very lovely' by the way. But you see, even if I'm playing by a script, even if I'm trapped in these confines, I'm making the world a better place. So that's why I must say, 'Nay, I will have her, not you'. She is a sacrifice for that future. And I do know what a noble goal that is, thank you very much, so please die."

He closes the distance in a second with a claw poised to sever my head from my body. He knows that it won't be fatal on a night like this, but we don't regenerate instantly. In that gap, he will be able to do whatever he pleases with the rest of my body.

Actually is that something he knows because he knows? Or is it something merely he does because he is shown that he had already done it? Either way, I won't let him. The least I can do is secure-

"A mutual death then? Against me? Do you really think you can accomplish something as ridiculous as that 'Second!'"

He has seen the future. He knows what I am going to do, when I am going to do it, and how I am going to do it. That's what it means to be [ruby=Kaleidoscope]The Forth[/ruby]. However, what he is about to do is not something he has already prepared from prior knowledge. He has no other choice than to slice my hand off and then take my head. But knowing that, knowing that in the next second he will take my head off breaks my heart. No, I'm not miserable because my head will be taken off, it's been taken off enough times that I don't worry about it being away from home on a full moon.

It is just that ever since we've met, ever since the first time he threw me off with his interruptions, I have always felt inadequate. I know what you must be thinking, me, Prince Arishima, inadequate? Have at you, villain.

However, it is the truth. Was I just that much of a simpleton or was he just so much better than I was? In truth, the moment I left his company I would forget about those feelings immediately. Now, I just think it as sad – terrifyingly sad. I cannot lose to this person. Out of all the four suitors currently in this dead rainforest, he is the only one whom I definitely cannot lose against.

Because everything he does is utterly genuine.

He does not move, he does not talk, he does not feel unless his outlook gives him permission. He is the one who sees both the past and the future and is bound to those visions. Every interruption isn't actually a true interruption; he doesn't actually know what I am about to say. All he does is follow what he has seen and everything acts accordingly to his vision.

That is why he is the most naïve, genuine one of us all.

There is no falsehood, there is no desire. Like an automaton, he moves, trying to complete his vision for the future that has chained him. In this second before my head is severed, I affirm, nay, I will avow, that he will stay on his path no matter what.

Save the future.

He'll keep repeating those words as long as he lives. He will fight, not for the people, not for an ideal, not even for love, but for the vision. Like his namesake, he will set forth and make his vision a reality – because for him, it is already reality. And he will mean it every single time. He will win every single time. How utterly, terrifyingly sad. How utterly, terrifyingly pure.

And that is why I cannot lose to him. I might entrust the world to him, but I won't entrust her to him, never her. That is why I would do something as stupid as settling for a mutual death even though "mutual" has no meaning to someone who can see the future.

One second before he will block my attack and cut my head off.

Instead, a thud rings out as a head hits the decayed forest floor. Then, a complete savagery of the body. The body is ripped limb to limb until it is nothing but tiny pieces.

The one who committed this act was – without a doubt – me. But how did I do it?

Imagine for a second there existed a mystery that could move the timeline around. Pick moments out and then push them to whenever you wanted them to happen. Of course, I don't have this power. All I can do is push my actions forward or backwards by a second – one single second. However, against someone who sees the past and the future, one second is all I needed. One second before our exchange, I became my attacking-self who was one second in the future. That meant my attack would connect one second faster than his attack. So even if he had predicted what I was going to do, I broke the laws of time and that prediction, that truth, was one second faster – crushing my certain fate.

"[ruby=five timeless words]Here, the order has fallen.[/ruby]"

If the future that you set forth is one devoid of love, then I will break it every single time.


	3. 2 The Phith

2\. The Phith

I call upon you, my dearest Master, owner of my soul, reflector of light, for we have taken our curtain call before either of us had a chance to fight. For that, I wish to thank you, for not letting harm come to me or one of your numbers. However, Master, I beg your forgiveness as I question your decision about allowing that come to pass.

"Damn, one of them actually killed the other. That was pretty insane,"

Master, I beg your forgiveness for this apostle's words. He does not mean what he says and only talks brashly because of his age. I suspect that with enough training and discipline, he will become an apostle worthy of serving under You. Yet, he does have a point. As You know, I do not question You, for You are my Master, You are my Lord, You are the Moon in the sky. Your blood has even blessed the Earth that I stand. However, are You sure, Master, that it was wise to allow two of Your apostles to fight each other to the death? Of course Master, there is no problem if You found one lacking, but Your faithful avenger was right here all along. Therefore, Master, I must believe that You had a greater reason for allowing something like that to pass.

"Hey, gramps, why are you holding your hands like that?" In his foolishness, The Thirst dares ask a question like that. I ask for forgiveness my Lord, he does not understand Your esoteric ways yet.

"I am praying to our Lord. You should do it as well."

"That's kind of boring. I mean, I tried listening to one of the nuns before I ate her, but geez she was annoying."

My Lord, I am sorry that I am seething. Yes, the child should know better thank to drink the blood of a human who has not given up yet. I beg for Your forgiveness Lord for his sake, so he may one day earn his seat next to You. However…

"How dare you blaspheme our Lord like that? God? What is God to our Lord? A disgusting, decaying Divine Spirit means nothing to a planet! A "God" couldn't even touch our Lord; they would all paw at His feet."

"Okay, you really don't have to get all defensive... Sounds like I stepped on a sore subject…"

Again, my Lord, a thousand apologies for losing my composure.

"So then, Thirst, have you considered my proposal?"

"Yeah, no. I think I'm gonna have to pass on that. I mean, sure, it sounds really cool resurrecting something like that, but… no. I don't think I want to do something like that."

O Lord, this is a trial, is it not? I understand that the task You gave to me was to find a winged mole. I could not understand why I could not find such a being. I destroyed cities searching for that in Your name; I even broke multiple laws and combined animals for You. Yet, to no avail. I had given up, waiting for another sign from You-who-always-watches-over-us-at-night. And it finally arrived, You allowed one of your disciples to find what he was searching for. You chose this person.

At first, I was angry, I killed the very person who brought me the news. After pairing his blood with a vintage wine, I realized this lamb that You chose was not going to use the [ruby=blood of the moon]elixir[/ruby] to forward your greatness. The other four would never agree to help me either. Therefore, You had chosen him because You had chosen me to convince him, convince him to use it in Your name.

"Um… I'm going to go now if that's okay with you. I've got a tree to collect and everything. It was nice talking to you though. Good luck with the whole God resurrecting thing you have going."

Yes, my Lord, I understand now. I completely understand. I have no choice but the beat this sinner into submission and force him to bask in Your greatness. The moment he feels the ecstasy of Your red grace on his flesh he will understand that You are the most supreme heavenly body in this universe. According to ancient text, that tree of sapphires is not the strongest planet ERGO, undoubtedly ERGO, My Lord, You are the strongest of the heavenly bodies. It makes so much sense I am shivering in excitement at the fact. So even if he departs, I shall grab this sinner by the neck and –

"Hey, let me go will you!"

And bless this fist that crushes your enemies, my Lord, whether it be in general discussion or on the battlefield.

"That… hurt. I thought we had a pact? I mean those fools can break it as much as they want, but I didn't think that you'd do something so dumb."

Oh, red-perfection-in-the-night-sky, it is true. I will admit it. It is true that there was a pact between the apostles, and it was even I who created that pact. I believed that having an agreement between the apostles would be a great honor in Your name. Keeping us together and alive to all serve You in harmony. That is what Your benevolent grace would approve of, correct? We do not have a Rose Prophecy like the former Ancestors, and so I believed that this pact would keep the five of us from killing each other.

"Can you not see that the pact was the beginning? The progress that we have made is all because of it. And the final stage is using the Coral Princess' blood to resurrect our Lord! That is the entire reason for the pact. That is the entire reason for your existence as well as the Sister System!"

The sinner is silent, my Lord. Will he see the light or be filled with irrational anger? I am sure an apostle that foolish cannot exist.

"Hah. Really? I didn't know that. But me, I kind of like things how they are. So yeah, you should probably leave. This world is not so bad."

I am sorry.

I am so sorry, my Lord. I will now remove the holy garb in which You clothed me in. This tie that symbolizes Your life draining fangs will be loosened and this vest that is your ever-loving embrace will be unbuttoned. My Lord, even with these trespasses, I hope that You will bless me in the first battle I have had the honor of fighting in Your name ever since that accursed pact was enacted.

I promise You my Lord, it will be over in a second.

My Lord, I am sorry; it was not over in a second. I beg Your forgiveness because even with my overwhelming age, I was not able to crush him in our very first exchange. Yes, my Lord I now understand why You blessed us a full moon on this night. This is my trial, my herculean labor. Under Your grace, under Your love, I bring You back onto this world to finish what you started so many eons ago. And to do that…

"T-There's two of you?"

"Yes, this is not an illusion. This is not a projection. This is not a spare body. There are actually two of me. And now there are four. This is my fragment and the very reason why I am called [ruby=The Denial of Nothingness]The Phith[/ruby]"

"One over the golden ratio…"

"Sinner as you are, Thirst, you are not a complete imbecile. This is the power that my Lord has given me; let it sink in and drown your blasphemy and helplessness."

"Wait, this doesn't make any sense. You're saying your fragment is from your God or whatever. So does that mean your Sister is your Lord?"

I…I-I..I

I-I apologize. I just said something unspeakable; something that should not ever be uttered. I misspoke, I stuttered, I did not mean what I said. Let me explain My Lord: my Sister, the abomination that I am bound to protect, the thing that protects and powers the city I preside over – I have taken this fragment of True Magic from her. No, it is not the Magic that slighted you; I would never wield such a heinous and blasphemous power. I gave her to the weakest of Your apostles. The one that I use is the First – known as the The Denial of Nothingness. I am only able to make a complete independent replica of myself: a clone, a perfect clone. This is the power that I took from the Sister, not by will, but through force to better worship You. Yes, I am sure in Your infinite wisdom, my Lord, that You see the application. If there are two of me then I can worship You twice as much.

"Well, whatever. I was kind of worried because you were using a ranged weapon, but if this is your fragment, then I'm probably going to leave. Seriously, don't try to stop me this time. The pact won't protect you anymore."

So my Lord, does my power become of me? Do You accept me? Do You love me? Because all this I do for You. The Sister system that I created and used to fuel the cities that remained to feed the humans, Your future food stock. The pact I negotiated so that there would be a constant number of Apostles to serve under You when You descended. You have watched me break everything that I worked for in an instant. Does my sacrifice please You? Does it please You enough that You will fight for me, that when You are resurrected I will have a place at your side?

Of course I will.

Of course I will, for I am Your faithful servant. We are Your faithful servants. There is no need for more Dead Apostle Ancestors. All twenty seven places can be filled with me. We will even fill any extra spots if it is Your will.

All for the sake of You! For the greatness that You came so close to bringing on the world! I believe in You. I have never met You, but I believe that I know You, that my prayers reach You-who-is-always-in-the-sky. That You are with me, You are with all of me as we deal with the last obstacle in Your rebirth.

Yes, I believe in You.

I believe in You.

I believe in You.

I believe in You. So then why am I alone once more? Why are all of me gone and I am the only one left? No matter, the obstacle is a little more formidable than I thought. But I will make more of me next time. As I believe in You.

I believe in You.

I believe in You.

I believ-

The second wave is destroyed faster than the first one. The Thirst, the thirst of that apostle; frightening, utterly frightening. One touch and each one of me dies. My Lord, I have just died one thousand and twenty-three times. My Lord, You failed to save me one thousand and twenty-three times. I only have access to one fragment of the First, but I believed that fragment supreme. While, I cannot create, I can replicate – perfect replication of the body, mind, and soul. So my Lord, they were not inconsequential clones or projections; they were me. They had hopes and dreams and wishes to serve You and You forsake them?

The Thirst is coming closer, but I do not care anymore. I have lost, I accept this; there is nothing shameful or wrong about that. The only question I want to ask is why have You forsaken me?! Crimson Moon Brunest-


	4. 3 The Thirst

3\. The Thirst

The old man died because he broke the pact. You know, I'm not really the type who's big on rules, but it was his own pact. Have a bit more respect for something you created – or something like that.

"Damn, I didn't realize they'd _all_ be coming for me."

When I found this place, I was pretty stoked. I've never won anything before, so getting the jump on the other guys was – well, it was pretty satisfying, among other things, I guess.

"But now we're killing each other? That's pretty messed up."

Yeah, even if I had planned for this; there's something that is off. The old man found me because he was following a wolf.

A wolf.

Wolves shouldn't even be alive. I mean, I'd love to eat a wolf and stuff, but wolves are extinct like anteaters or them ekindeys. Well, there might be some in that coral reef, but I don't think ekidneys swim in the ocean. They're what-are-they-called again… Monotremes, yeah them.

Well it seems that my haori is slightly tussled in the last encounter, so I'll-

"I have found you at last, Thirst. Pray, have you seen a jaguar?"

And here comes the charmer of the group. That three piece suit, top hat, and cane really clash with my haorihakama. An east vs west type thing, if there's even still an east and west?

"Second – or should I call you Arishima now?"

"We've been acquainted for quite some time, so you may still address me as Second if you're uncomfortable with calling me Arishima."

He's a complete dandy, but at his core he's still a nice guy. I really can't help but like him.

"But Thirst, Forth told me that you were conversing with The Phith. What happened to him?"

"I could say the same thing about the Forth, couldn't I? We all felt it when you killed him; I'm sure even Fird could," I look around, pretending The Fird's in earshot, "Wherever you are!"

"That is bound to rattle his bones. He absolutely detests that."

"Yeah, he's that sort of guy, really straightforward. But enough with your so-called 'niceties' Arishima, are you here to stop me as well?"

"Yes, I am here to stop you."

"I see. That's too bad."

He smiles. I smile back. They're both tired, tired smiles, but we have to keep going. Him and me, even if we're going to get in each other's ways, even if we know that this is the last time we'll ever meet; actually, it's because of that we need to smile for each other.

"Ahhh, this really sucks. Can't you just give up?"

"What about you Thirst, can you give up on your pursuit? I haven't the slightest on how long it took you to find this place, but I doubt it was easy."

"Actually, you were watching me do it."

"That time you came to use my library? That's how you found what you were looking for, but-"

"Well, I went to everyone's library, but where I found it wasn't in yours."

When I couldn't find any information in my library, under some pretense, I asked to use everyone else's. I wouldn't say that it was anything inspired, but a bit of research never hurts. In the first place, I wasn't the only one doing it. The Fird borrowed some files on some ancient Japanese mythical creatures from my city, which was ironic because I found the book I needed in his archives.

"But yeah, you're right. There's no way that I can give up. But I got to ask, even if we've all seen her, is this princess really worth it?"

He laughs nervously, "Honestly, I haven't the foggiest: her nimble and elegant movements, sheer skin just as beautiful as her elegant clothing, a pure voice like a bell, beautiful flaxen hair that doesn't belong in this world, and those eyes brimming with life just like the island she calls home. That's what love is right? Finding out if something is worth it."

I honestly don't understand it. It's not that I find this attitude icky or anything, but the concept of two people mutually loving each other is alien to me. I'm led to believe that this was the norm before the pole shift, but it isn't the norm now.

"But her blood is the blood of the Moon itself – the elixir of immortality. It's definitely valuable, otherwise seven Dead Apostles and five Ancestors wouldn't be courting her. The Phith believed it could even resurrect the Crimson Moon."

Three generations ago, something fell out of the sky and created the island that still maintains life – producing oxygen and nitrogen. The thing, or rather, person, who fell from the sky was formerly the artificial [ruby=soul]brain[/ruby] of the Moon. But she wasn't important, her blood was. The blood of the Moon flows through her veins. It's believed that if a vampire drinks her dry, they will inherit the Moon, or at least be cured of the need for blood. When these rumors started flying around, the five of us met and made a pact. We all wanted her blood; however, because of the Sister system, we couldn't risk all-out war. We agreed not to get in each other's way nor use force. With this agreement in place, we all decided to court the Coral Princess.

The first generation was stubborn, so our planes were never allowed on the island. Either way, she found a consort too quickly. The same thing happened with the second generation, and here we are with the third Coral Princess. Opening the doors for suitors, every Dead Apostles worth anything and even some humans started vying for her attention. Yet all she gave were impossible demands: for example, finding a tree that wears sapphires.

"And that's why I have to protect her. I love her, you see."

"Why can't she just protect herself?"

"I'm sure she could, but this isn't about the ability to protect oneself. Rather, it is the desire to protect someone you love."

"I really don't get that, sorry."

And that was the main hypothesis of why humanity was declining. Humanity had lost their love, and with it, their will to live. But vampires aren't humans; we are the denial of human history. As humanity has become weaker and weaker, the few vampires who are still alive have become stronger – perhaps not in raw strength, but in the shadows, we now rule the world. Yet, even if I'm a vampire I might be something closer to a modern human.

"The old man, glasses, and you all love or loved something – be it a god, the future, or a woman. No idea about the kid, but I don't love anything. I don't even know what it means to love something. That's why I'm the one who will be entrusted with the Princess."

The one who wanted the reach the goal the least was the one who obtained the key. It's a meaningless and clichéd poetic justice of the highest degree. Normally, I'd instantly throw a book with a plot like this away, but, I think I'm going to quite like the ending for this one.

"Oh? If that is so my dearest Thirst, won't you just give up? If you have no reason to successfully court the Princess…"

He says that. He says that and it's true. But I can't let him, or rather I don't want to let him. Even I don't understand whatever love is, I still have a reason.

"You know Second, I like everything the way it is."

"How on earth can you possibly say that when you just killed The Phith?"

I can't argue back because he's right. I did just kill the old man and invalidate our pact, but I don't really regret it. It might be hypocritical of me to say this but-

"That might be true, but I like the way the world is right now. Sure, nine out of ten humans are basically just blood bags, but isn't that fine? Seeing them this way and seeing where they came from, don't you think that it's beautiful, Second? Having lost the will to survive, living day to day without a care for the future, and then dying. A useless life, a meaningless life, an unrewarded life."

"How can you possibly support a stagnant world?"

I don't speak for a few moments. How do I put my feelings into words I feel he understands? Actually, why is it important that he understands at all?

"If this is the end, then let it be the end. Humanity, vampires, we've both had a great run. I'm not saying 'let's give up,' but everything has to end. Why can't we just say 'Good job,' bow, and turn out the lights?"

Ever since I've obtained my name, I've noticed that it has never really fit me. The Thirst implies ambition, it implies craving for something, yet my craving is for there to be no craving.

"While you have no qualms in letting humanity end, you don't want to be the one who ends humanity."

"Of course not. That would mean meddling. Dead Apostles, we're the anti-thesis of Humanity, but at the same time, that means we're the only ones who can appreciate them for what they are. I mean, I don't want to understand them or study them – that's really lame and boring. But to let them continue…. No resurrecting weird Crimson Moons nor whatever the Forth was trying to do. Just let them do their own thing even if that means following them into the dark. Why can't we just give up and enjoy what we have?"

The words of a Dead Apostle who has never experienced any passion.

"Of course, I don't fight for humanity. I'm not here because humanity wants me to be here or even because the people I govern want me to be. I'm here to make sure that nothing happens ruins the way we're going. For that, I'm going to kill the Coral Princess."

The Second won't say a word. He knows that as long as the lineage of the Coral Princess exists, the blood of the Moon will be on Earth. For something that can change humanity to exist goes against every fiber of my being. He'll understand my position and make some biting remarks.

"Ohoho-"

Wha?

"Ohohohohohohohhoho."

Why… is he laughing in such a ridiculous way?

"Wishing the best for something. Protecting it so it can forge its own path. You're hilarious, Thirst. You say that you don't understand love, when what you love is humanity!"

I… love humanity?

I don't agree with that sentiment. When I think of love, I always imagine a feeling. Something that doesn't need work; it just exists. That isn't what I feel about humanity. But at the same time, I can't deny those words. Perhaps, I was always aware of this contradiction inside of me. That my wish, the very thing I am fighting for is wrong, that it's hypocritical.

The wish to allow humanity to move independently means that I can't change anything. Fighting for a cause like that inherently breaks that wish, as I am influencing certain possible actions. Furthermore, like the Second said, I've already killed the Phith, and he's already killed the Forth; the world is already irrevocably changed, and my wish is already in tatters. At the end of the day the wish to allow humanity to move independently is a selfish wish.

"You see now don't you? That your wish is merely forcing humanity to move down the route that you believe is the best."

Even so…

Even so, I don't think that I'm wrong.

"So humans can have an ending they prepared for themselves or even miraculously flourish. I believe that decision should be theirs, so I don't think it's wrong to get rid of the blood of the Moon that could taint the power structure of the world. Even if the Phith and Forth are dead and that structure is basically in pieces, the Sisters are still in their Angelica Cages. I know that what I want is hypocritical, I know that it's a mistake."

But that's okay, because I'll admit it. I love the world as it is right now. I don't want it to change and so that it won't change, I will change it.

"I know that it's incredibly childish, but it's not as cliché as fighting for the girl you love!"

 _[S]I laugh and lunge at him._

 _"Too right, Thirst! We're just two lovelorn fools, so why not settle this the only way we know how!"[/S]_

With a quick stroke of his cane, he bats me away before I get the chance to lunge at him.

More than just the wind, my very lungs are knocked out of me. Actually, you could say that the entire top half of my body is knocked away, but I'll recover from that. [S] _As if time rewinding, the curse of restoration restores the top half of my body.[/S]_ But I'm already in pieces before the curse of restoration can take effect. If I was an older vampire, perhaps I could regenerate from just my ankles, but I'm not that strong, so I'll have to cheat instead. Coupled with time rewinding, my body puts itself back together and in a few moments, and I'm facing a panting Second.

"The curse of self-healing. I didn't think that level of magecraft was even possible in this day and age."

It's not. That wasn't even magecraft, but the fragment that I took from my Sister. It is actually the same thing that I used against the Phith.

"But that wasn't normal as well, was it? You always managed to get the jump on me and I'm starting to figure out how. It's in your name, right, Second."

When the Sister system was first established, we took names after the fragment of True Magic we were able to collect. For the sake of anonymity, we didn't take the name of our own True Magic, or the title that comes with it. For instance, Arishima is called The Second, but that doesn't mean he uses [ruby=Kaleidoscope]The Second[/ruby]. From seeing him in action and the energy that it took out of him, I can only conclude that he is [ruby=Blue]The Second[/ruby]. That's why it's dangerous to use your fragment in front of another Ancestor and why we keep our names hidden. It's too easy to figure out what your abilities are when there are only four options. At the same time, they are our trump cards and dead men can't talk right?

"Bravo, Thirst, so you know what I can do. How will that help you in any way?"

[ruby=Blue]The Fifth[/ruby] includes Time Manipulation – as in manipulating time itself. Coupled with his name, that probably means he can manipulate one second at a time. Being detached from the energy supplied by the Sister, The Second can't use this ability as he pleases. I don't know if he used True Magic against The Forth, but judging from how hard he's trying to keep upright, the next time he activates it he will also shift his energy debt to the future by one second. Knowing that is his only option, he won't use True Magic haphazardly anymore. He knows that I have unprecedented healing abilities, so he'll save it for when he can secure a certain kill or to create an opening. He's wary, so I can't fight him like I did against the Phith. In that case, I will raise my hand and fire.

Two bullets of condensed magical energy appear and fly directly at The Second. There's no way that he can't dodge them but what should frighten him is the barrage that comes after.

"Impossible. Where are you getting the magical energy to do that? There's barely any mana in this area in the first place."

"And od alone shouldn't support this level of nature interference," I finish for him, "But shouldn't you be more worried about yourself?"

The barrage continues to rain down as he continues to dodge and parry the magical bullets. In truth, they aren't that strong. In fact there are tonnes of weapons that I have access to in my city that are much stronger than this. However, he's clearly shaken from my display.

I would be as well. In this day and age, such a large barrage isn't possible. I must be using my fragment. He knows this, but he doesn't know what I'm using. Could I be creating energy from nothing? Could I be a materialized soul using myself as a perpetual engine? Could I be drawing all this energy from a parallel world? Or am I somehow using The Fourth?

The barrage stops and another spell is abruptly cast. He can see the magic circle on my palm; he knows what will happen. He knows that it is impossible, but after seeing that barrage he is questioning everything he once knew.

"Fire-!"

A wide beam of light – it is just pure magical energy distributed over a wide area. There's no way that this can be dodged from where he is standing – unless the enemy can dodge into time. Right, there are two ways to defeat the strongest attack with time: one is to kill the opponent before the attack was started and the second is to escape to the future where the attack has ended. The Second can't do the first because of the barrage, so all he's left with the latter. After all, there's no way that I could maintain this for more than a second. We are both using fragments of True Magic so we should be equally matched.

And one second later, The Second appears…

-and is washed away by the still flowing magical energy.

The battle is over. His top hat is no more and his cane is charred beyond recognition, just like his body lying on the ground. In that position he looks at the ice encased moon, as if longing for it. Even if the damage is not fatal, he has used too much of his fragment without any backup. He won't be able to rewind any more damage for now.

"H-How?"

"Mine is probably the weakest of all the fragments. I'm sure you know about human spirits; how they can devour a person's soul and turn it into sustenance. Well, my fragment allows me to do the same, but I can use any soul as an energy source."

"You were devouring your own soul?"

"Well, The Phith basically gave me an unlimited energy supply, but I used all of that fighting him. How should I explain this… have you ever heard of Taoism?"

"Taoism… I know it's an ancient religion, but aren't you the Oriental expert? You are the one wearing a kimono in the remnants of South America."

"Same till the end. Well, you know in old cemeteries there are angels?"

"Grave markers," The appropriateness of this conversation is not lost on him, "In magecraft they're used to ground the soul of the person. It's a physical record of that person's existence."

"But they only ground the soul. You see, in some cultures there is more than one soul. There's the part that supports the mind of the organism and the part that supports the body of the organism. It is the second part that can stay bound to this earth. It's even used to create familiars or the spirit itself can become a familiar."

"I don't see how that-"

"Vampires, humans, and everything else that is alive requires something else to be alive. Living creatures always have other living things living on or inside of them, sometimes on a microscopic level. Even if these beings don't have cognitive ability…"

"They still definitely have a body," He forces a laugh through his burned lungs, "So in a way, you were still devouring yourself. It definitely fits you, [ruby=Heaven's Feel]The Thirst[/ruby]."

He sighs as I draw closer. He is no longer burned, he must have had enough energy to regenerate his former appearance but that's as far as he can go. All he can do is wait for his execution.

"The Fird possibly overheard everything."

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

Finally, I am standing over him. Our eyes meet and we smile once more to say our farewells.

"I failed to protect her."

"I am going to kill her."

"I detest you for that."

"I know."

He looks up at the moon one more time and reaches for it, as if asking it to take him away. But it will never reach back.

"When you are concealed like the moon covered by the clouds-"

I raise my hand.

"-my heart is as if a full moon."

And when my hand drops, his head is released from the body.


	5. 4 The Fird

4\. The Fird

I am The Fird. I am a fish. I am a bird.

I regress.

I am a bat, a wolf, and a jaguar.

I regress.

I am a griffon, a unicorn, and a giant crab that I don't really understand.

I regress.

I regress.

I regress.

I keep on regressing, but there is no beast that can fight the Thirst.

"Fuck-!"

By being connected to and then overwhelming a Sister, one can gain access to one aspect of the True Magic they wield – one single fragment of a supreme mystery. I never obtained such a power; instead, I was bestowed this gift so I could fight against the other Ancestors. Known as a Regression to the Age of Gods, it's a fragment of a time long lost.

"So it was you kid, you're the one who led everyone astray and made them kill each other. No, you didn't make them kill each other, they did that on their own. But if you just wanted them to stop me, why didn't you lead them all to me?"

On the precipice of a crystal valley, we face each other – the last two suitors for the hand of the Coral Princess.

"But seriously, kid, you're an improvement as an animal. I mean you don't have that ridiculous pompadour anymore."

"The fuck you say 'bout my hair?!"

That Thirst is terribly rude. There's no way that I'm going to let him get away with insulting my hair, especially when he's the one who-

"Good, I got you to talk. Talking's good, you know."

From the other battles I know everything I need to know about The Thirst. I know I can't let him touch me or he'll take my soul, I also know that he turns other beings into magical energy. If that's the case, I'm at a disadvantage. After thinking that through, maybe it is better to talk.

"The fuck you want to know?"

"What you want, of course. I have no idea, but I know that it's messed up for sure. Tonight you've been leading us by our noses into each other without us realizing. I mean, shame on us for that, but what's the point? What's the point of having us kill each other? Do you want to rule the world or something; have the combined power of the Sister system to yourself?"

"Nah, that's too much of a pain."

"Then you're after the elixir then. Pretty lame, kind of expected more."

That's funny. He's so sure of himself, so sure of his goal, and so sure of his judgement of others. Bullying the weak might be wrong, but right now, I can't help it – I regress.

"The face of a monkey, the body of a tanuki, the legs of a tiger, and the upper portion of a snake as a tail. And its cry-"

"-!"

Its cry is that of a Nue.

"That makes no sense! That makes no sense at all. Disregarding you actually turning into a magical beast, the bigger question is-"

The Coral Princess requested that I obtain the sound of a Nue's cry. Now I don't know that much about Japanese mythology, The Thirst does, but not me. Anyway, I asked my beloved about it and she told me that a Nue was a bird that resembled a green pheasant, but at the same time, that wasn't what the Coral Princess wanted.

Thinking it fun, she made me do some research on the topic. Unable to refuse, I ended up borrowing a few books from The Thirst, one in particular was called The Tale of Heike where it described a monster, a phantasmal species, with the cry of the Nue. Looking into it further, the name Nue had become synonymous with this monster even if it was not the monster's name in the story. Therefore, what the Coral Princess wanted was not the sound of a Nue, but to see the phantasmal species and hear its cry. And right now, I became that magical beast for The Thirst.

It didn't have this ability a few hours ago. The particular Regression that was implanted in me allows me to become any beast in the history of the world. Of course, that includes phantasmal species.

"It makes no sense, why didn't you just go to the island instead of coming here to stop me? I would have never gotten there in time unless…"

His face, crunched up from thinking starts to relax and then widen in disbelief.

"-unless I never wanted to marry that stupid princess in the first place. Yeah, sounds 'bout right."

"B-But you… my library… you… you're the reason why I-I…"

His hands cover his face while his knees drop to the ground. He stays in that pose for a few minutes and then one by one the fingers come off the face to reveal an abhorrence and a determination no one could have expected.

"I see," He murmurs, "So that was your endgame. That is… seriously messed up."

My beloved knew that we had the information The Thirst wanted in our library; however, there was no way to give it to him without arousing suspicion. Therefore, we tried to make him want to read our archives by having me requesting to see his. He could have refused had I asked him if I could see information about the Nue, so I just called in a favor, asking for access within reason and took whatever I needed. He saw what I took and could not reprimand me as he already gave me permission. Like that, the idea of checking each of the Ancestor's archives for clues was firmly engendered into his mind. It would only be a matter of time before he asked for access to ours. In his mind, as he allowed us access, we would have to reciprocate. Like that, he found the location of the tree which wears sapphires.

"And that's why you were the second one here. You already knew where I was going to be. You probably already had this place mapped out in preparation."

Actually, we didn't have this place mapped out.

"But that's not the end of your plan is it? You don't want the elixir, you just wanted us in a place where we couldn't communicate with our cities, a place where you could make us kill each other because your goal is-"

"Yes, I'm here to buy time so the Six Sisters can escape."

* * *

"Firstly, the Sixth is one of us." The twinkling voice ran through the speaker. A familiar voice – one that I had grown up listening to – but every time she started to talk I still surprised myself with how much I wanted her to continue and never stop.

She didn't belong in this drab hall made of steel that dully reflected most figures. Even if she was the centerpiece of the room, the green liquid that filled her cage and the multitude of wires restricting her figure only slight her natural beauty.

I had tried to dress up the room with some flowers and other things that she asked for – there was a vanity by the cage, a few pieces of ancient art on the walls. But, sitting on this blanket and pretending we were having a romantic picnic was too much – how phony. Even so, when she suggested this, she was holding her broom, smiling as wide as her witch's hat, so I couldn't help but humor her.

"In the beginning there were six of us, The Six Sisters. We were created as the No.1 Saving System to Earth and the beginning of the A-Ray Project. By combining genetic material from different animals and humans, new species would be created – possibly up to one hundred sub-species of humans. These species would subsist on a form of energy not seen before, and that was one way humanity would survive in the Land of Steel."

"Land of Steel?"

"That's was their proposed name for the world after the planet was dead."

"But this shithole never died."

She smiles gently. "Yes, for some reason, those who created us were wrong about the fate of the planet. However, by accident, they created beings that could use True Magic. We had too much value to be scrapped, so we were encased in these cages and cities were built around us. As you know, fuel is necessary, physically and metaphysically, for progress. Humanity has run out fuel in the metaphysical sense. They are stagnant; they can no longer move. But there are some who don't accept that, they want to continue. Most of those people are vampires, and in their own way, they're forcing humanity to stay alive by using us. There's no way that one tenth of the population could create enough energy to keep the other nine-tenths alive. So they use True Magic, they use us. The rulers of the cities, the Ancestors, gained access to a fragment of our power, and that is how the Sister system was born. In fact, the one who created it was The Phith. He was one of the scientists who created us."

"Never liked him but, guess there's something I should thank the old man for."

"You're sweet." She smiled again and my heart blossomed.

I have always felt that way towards her, even before I was a Dead Apostle. Unlike the other Ancestors, I haven't even lived for a century. I'm sure you've heard of the designer babies, children created through genetic modification. There were no successful cases as each stopped breathing and died. I came from a similar, more private project. My father, the former Ancestor of this city had a culture of cells from when he was human; using those, he created a clone… me. My father was a peculiar vampire; if he wanted "children," he could have just turned someone. Also, it is possible for a Dead Apostle to have a child. There has even been a case in the past of a True Ancestor and a human having a child; however, it seemed my father wanted a replacement more than a successor. My father wanted me to grow up as a human and be turned into a vampire like he was. So, on the day that I would be turned, he took me here.

The sound of gears moving, machinery crashing. It's a sound that I've heard all my life, but for that moment, I thought it was musical. No, it wasn't as if the sound changed, but because of who was before me. It wasn't love at first sight, but at that moment, she bewitched my heart. That was when I vowed that even when my memories fade and I fall into hell, I would never forget that moment.

It was less than second, but that was the moment that made me.

Having the same potential as my father, my transition didn't take long; what always remained in me during the process was the image of her.

As my father's true heir, I was allowed access to this room and we talked – we talked a lot. She also recommended some movies for me to watch. Entertainment was a big part of the Resurrection project and I liked them so much that I changed my hair, although she could never change the way that I talked. She also persuaded me to kill my father – which I did. As emotionally momentous as that should be, I feel like it's nothing more than a footnote in my relationship to her. I killed him, became The Fird, and the city and its people are much happier now because of it. Well, most of the city doesn't even care.

"I know 'bout the pact. But what's that and the Sixth got to do with one another?"

"Well, I was going to get to tha-" She pouted.

"M'bad." I automatically said.

"No, you're good. Firstly, how many Ancestors are there? Five, right."

"Gotcha. Five Ancestors, Six Sisters, one's missing. Then, she's the Sixth right? But hey, why don't 'cha ever bring her up? She's family, she's bound to help us out."

"Because even if we do have the support of the Sixth Sister, there's still no way that I could break out of here."

I was still sulking. We've had been together for almost a century and she still had never brought up one of her sisters.

"You always go on and on about how if I cut the power, the other Ancestors will notice and blow our brains out with a nuke. Why doesn't your sister just annihilate them?"

"Sweetie, facing one city is like facing all five of us. There is no way for me to break out without the others knowing, unless all five of the Ancestors are gone at the same time."

And that's why she called me here to have this picnic – our last date before I go to the rainforest and betray the rest of my brethren like I betrayed my father. No doubt all the Ancestors will leave competent subordinates to take care of the cities, but they won't be wielding fragments of True Magic, which means we have an advantage.

I stand up.

"Where the hell is she anyway?"

She was supposed to meet us a while ago. Being late, we decided to start the picnic without her and I ended up asking about who the Sixth was and was given an entire lecture. But seriously, she's really lat-

-Red erupts from my back. There's no pain, there's no pain yet and the wound will regenerate. But I don't understand, I don't understand how someone got into here unnoticed. Fearing the worst for my beloved, I can only slowly turn around to face my attacker.

"N-no, way…"

A witch's hat crowing an all too familiar face. Her slender hand that I know too well gouged into my back destroying my prized overcoat.

"Yo, sis, I brought the package. You wanted it in him right?"

So… you are… the Sixth.

* * *

"To destroy the Sister System."

"To save the Sisters."

"They're the same, kid. You've literally doomed us. Literally. All for what? So you could go and play hero for some artificial witch?"

"Don't you fucking dare talk about her that way!"

"Oh, so she whispered sweet nothings in your ear did she? She promised that after she escaped the two of you would go somewhere and live your lives happily ever after, did she? Don't you think they've promised the exact same thing to the rest of us? You thought she thought you were special did you, that you were different, that you were loved? Reality check, she was just using you!"

"Don't you think I fucking know that?!" Faced with his abuse, all I could do was let the floodgates out of what I truly felt, "Don't _you_ think that I knew that she was using me? It's obvious, ain't it? Why she'd even talk to a person who trapped her?"

The Thirst's eyes are snowy and bitter. There is nothing that they couldn't freeze at this point. That's reflected in this absolutely calm voice which attempts to slice my own resolve.

"So why did you do it?"

The only question that matters.

"Because I loved her."

The only four words that matter.

"It doesn't matter if she lied to me, it doesn't matter if her feelings weren't genuine, because _mine_ are." The words cascade out – the first time I've ever been so eloquent. It's a shame she isn't here to hear this. "Just being at her side made me happy. That much I know, that much I cherish, and that much can never be taken away from me. Even if I know this is foolish, even if I know that many other people will be hurt, I can't stop. I won't stop. I will keep you here, Thirst. I'll keep you here so they can rescue the other Sisters. This has never been about the cry of a Nue, an airplane made of water, a winged mole, a fish from the moon, or even a tree that wears sapphires. We're only here so I can buy time for them."

"And you said that I loved humanity, Second," He says shaking his head before turning to me, "But if you say that you're still buying time, that means there is still time. In that case Fird, I won't let you destroy humanity for your own selfish wish."

Even if he says that, I can't help but think that we are kindred spirits. We're both hypocrites. He wants to keep humanity going the way it is going, yet goes around and destroying the very people who keep the system running. And me, I'm sacrificing myself in the name of love for someone who is only using me. It would only seem fitting that we are the last two here.

"For the sake of humanity-"

"For the sake of the person I love-"

"-Right here, I will crush your dream," We declare in unison.

* * *

I regress.

We will start our fight and end it with one blow. There is no way that I can defeat him; the moment that he touches me, he will devour my soul. Therefore, if I want to defeat him, I must overwhelm him in a battle of pure magical energy. However, he has access to all the microscopic creatures that grow on his body, that exist in the air, and in the ground. In that sense, he's as strong as a magus of old.

My body distorts as a blackness overwhelms it and hardens at the same time, those are my scales. The sharpness that bursts through my mouth are my fangs and the leathery appendages that now frame my back are my wings.

There is one creature throughout history and mythology known to create magical energy by just breathing, existing – the [ruby=Grand]crown[/ruby] of the Phantasmal Species.

"A.. Dragon."

I roar. It's a thunderclap that shakes the trees, moves the earth, and blows The Thirst back. Seen as a monster, a devil, there were time were multiple heroes were needed to defeat a single dragon. There were times when entire armies were destroyed. It is even said that a dragon is able to maintain a distortion in space-time by just being there.

In that sense, to face a dragon is to face nature, the world, itself. Not the weak nature that can't support life, but the nature of old. The vibrant, uncertain nature from where humanity sprouted and fought so hard to release themselves from. And once again, as if a replay of the legends, a single person is standing facing against such a beast.

Once again, a single person is standing against the World itself.

I don't have any time to admire his daring. I know what I must do. The magical energy wells up inside of me – in my magical core. If the magic circuits of a magus is a machine that creates magical energy, then the core of a dragon is a factory. The overwhelming amount of magical energy fills me, ready to obliterate my enemy. Where is my enemy?

My enemy stands right in front of me with one hand supporting the other-

As if someone who opposes a fallen star.

As if someone who opposes the incineration of Humanity.

The earth itself trembles. Expanding and retracting in a split second, an aura of death spreads around the entire plain we are standing on. This was a dying wasteland, but not dead. In that moment, everything just died, giving their life energy to The Thirst.

"I just realized," He says, "If I can convert the soul of anything I am touching…"

No…

"-I'm always touching the Earth aren't I?"

The swirl of magical energy around him immediately thickens until it matches my own.

He is turning the planet itself into an energy source. The ultimate evil and the unlimited expression of humanity. Who would have thought that it would be from a vampire? To support the wish of humanity staying the way it is, he is destroying the very earth that sustains that status quo.

This is the ultimate thirst that requires the drinking of planets to slacken.

But a mere Dead Apostle can't contain that much magical energy. At this point, not just the brain and the circuits, but the body itself will be destroyed. Yet time rewinds and the body continually regenerates. It's humanity's million year cycle of life and death in a matter of seconds.

But I am not worried; it is said that the breath of a dragon is the breath of the world. So then all this exchange meant, all it ever meant, was two worlds colliding.

Unable to contain the magical energy any further and reaching fever pitch both blasts are released.

Vortexes of magical energy surge: one, the breath of a dragon; the other, the meager remnants of the life of the planet. The clash of magical energy rips through the already-dead landscape. Pieces of crystal as well as earth are ripped off from the ground into mini-tornadoes that disperse into the surroundings.

Two words colliding, challenging each other just as the wishes of the two of us clash. It is a replay of the legends that the world will never see – a beyond cliché tug of war between two beams of magical energy. Nothing more than a scenario that has played out through history again and again, each time the result being the same.

Unable to move, I hold only my ground expelling as much magical energy as this core allows. Each time I feel blood circulate, I can add more. Each time I take a breath, I can add more. Therefore I know I can win. But at the same time a shudder rings through my entire body. The body of a dragon dances feverishly, breaking apart at how much magical energy it is expelling.

Yet, he is the same. A single person channeling the World against a dragon. His magic circuits are destroyed and re-created every second along with his flesh, yet he shows no sign of stopping either. I can see it in his eyes, the eyes that stopped looking at me and are engrossed in something beyond me.

He screams.

He screams to keep himself sane.

He screams to keep plundering the earth.

I can't help but admire that. Even if he's completely wrong, even if he's a disgusting vampire, let alone person, I can't help but think this is slightly beautiful.

Against that… Against that raw humanity, I can't win, but I won't lose either. I have my own hypocritical reason for being unable to lose. To make sure that she's happy, to make sure that she can have a future, even if it's one without me.

-Bear it.

A selfish romance.

-Bear it.

Self-satisfied determination.

-Bear it

Even if she doesn't feel the same way I do, I will pray for her happiness, even if nothing of me remains - at least, let those be the cinders of my love.

-Bear with it. Even if it crushes my heart and reaches my soul. Even if my arms and legs can no longer move and I can't even move my maw to contend with it, I have to bea-

"It's okay, everything's okay. You can rest now."

That twinkling voice, it's not an illusion. So then where are you...

Ahhh, so that's where you were, beloved; you and your sisters are twinkling with the stars.

I'm blown away. First, my legs become nothing; second, my wings; third, my scales; then fourth, my torso. They all regress and return to the World whence they came. All that is left of me is the fifth that floats in a sea of magical energy – sinking. So if you will allow me one last word, one last wish.

"Fuck, I never told you. Tonight, you're really beautiful."

Even at the end I couldn't break my habit. But still, I pray with all my heart that sentiment reaches her.


	6. 5 Judge

5\. Judge

If only it had stopped at the Third, someone once said. Well, that someone was wrong. But that's a bit biased of me since of the Six, I make up the end.

I whistle, "They did quite a number on this place."

Two newly created hills are on either side of our brooms and in the middle is an artificial valley. We were not here for the beginning of the fight; however, we did see the end. So yeah, it's not that hard to believe this was the aftermath.

It is as if teams of giants carved out the earth and then moved the dirt into two separate piles, creating a valley of death. In some mythologies, mountains are seen as symbols of immortality, so I'll concede that it's somewhat fitting.

"Yo, Fourth, no need to be so down, you didn't even care about him right?"

She just glares at me. Sheesh, tough crowd.

"No… bullying… Fourth… Sixth"

Jeez, not you too Fifth. Don't say that in a cutesy tone; it just makes me look like the villain here.

I laugh nervously, "My bad, my bad. Kid did a bang-up job, though. Too bad The Thirst escaped."

"He's not going to stop." The Third pulls up her broom so she's across from me.

"What do you mean?"

"After the events of tonight, The Thirst won't stop. He was a hollow man before, now we've just destroyed his world. He is less than a person. He will chase the one thing he set out to do this night forever. He will find the tree which wears sapphires no matter what."

And you, Third, stop doing Second's job for her. You'll just make her sad, just look at her over there all mopey with no info to dump on poor me.

The Third glides away from this new valley of death and we follow her into another one. It's an entirely alien world, one where you cannot even feel the World's slowing heart. The Thirst's goal was arriving here to procure that sapphire wearing tree.

Just that it technically isn't a tree.

We can see The Thirst ahead, his eyes like those a dead fish. Oh, how they would be different if he knew he was about to be gutted. Perhaps even if he knew, he would not stop.

But shouldn't we stop him? After all…

The battle is over in an instant. Actually, it was impossible to even call that a battle. A spider erupted from its nest and encased The Thirst in crystal before he could even react. In that sense, The Thirst was nothing more than material to maintain its nest.

Ahhh, what a hopeless endeavor this night has been.

To have fought so hard, to have lost so much, just to reach this conclusion.

What a wasted wish that was.

To have fought so hard but to have destroyed it with your own hands.

Truly, the ultimate expression of humanity, right, gals?

But if there is one thing I will commend you on. One thing that I will commend you all on.

The planet is dying and humanity has stagnated. It was never a delicate equilibrium, but an oppressive stalemate that everyone knows how to fix, yet no one can enact.

So, Dead Apostle Ancestors of humanity's twilight, I must commend you all on your superb love that overturned this stalemate. At the same time, isn't it ironic that the same love is what led to your downfalls? We may have used a child; however, we never forced him to love – that was his own choice.

And that is what we seek to protect. So that this love can proliferate, so [ruby=Mother Earth's]Çatalhöyük's[/ruby] wish can be actualized-

[ruby=Type Mercury]The spider[/ruby] soundlessly roars. Completely alien, there is no way to understand it. However, if I were to guess, it seems to be confused.

When is the promised time? Is it now? Why are you dying? Should I move?

The questions overwhelming it and the backlash surrounding its abrupt awakening will lead to the death of humanity – of love.

While it is mostly The Thirst's fault, this was partially due to our designs. So rest easy, dear Ancestors, even if your wishes were never realized, they will not be in vain.

In your place, we will protect this World.

In your place, _I_ will bring judgement to all who threaten it.


End file.
